Therapeutics: Myeloid leukemia cell differentiation protein (MCL1); eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4B (EIF4B)

Patient sample and cell studies suggest inhibiting EIF4B or MCL1 could help treat basal breast cancer. In tumor samples from breast cancer patients, MCL1 levels were higher in the aggressive basal breast cancer subtype than in the less aggressive luminal breast cancer subtype. In human basal breast cancer cell lines, shRNA targeting EIF4B or MCL1 or an MCL1 inhibitor tool compound decreased proliferation compared with vehicle. Next steps could include testing MCL1 inhibitors in animal models of basal breast cancer.

Amgen Inc. has AMG 176, a MCL1 inhibitor, in Phase I testing to treat multiple myeloma (MM)...